Is Stephon Gilmore the best cornerback in the NFL? His peers believe so.
Gilmore ranked 22nd overall on the NFL’s player-voted “Top 100 Players of 2019” list, the highest spot of any corner. The ranking represented a massive leap for the New England Patriots star, who did not even crack the Top 100 in 2018.
In a video segment announcing Gilmore’s selection, fellow Patriots corner Jason McCourty explained what makes Gilmore such a valuable player for New England.
“We would get our game plan,” McCourty said, “and Steph’s matchup would be, ‘All right, Steph, you’ve got him. The rest of the guys are going to go over here and play defense. You’ve just got him.’ Being a corner, that’s tough. But he would much rather have it that way. ‘Let me just go guard the best player on the field and just go take him out the game.’ ”
He added: “I haven’t seen a corner who’s played any better than he has this season.”
Ranking second in the NFL with 20 pass breakups last season, Gilmore surrendered more than 50 receiving yards in coverage just once in 16 games, according to Pro Football Focus, which assigned him the highest grade of any cornerback.
Asked after a Week 17 win over the New York Jets whether he should be considered one of the league’s best at his position, Gilmore replied: “Film don’t lie.”
The first-team All-Pro continued that dominance during New England’s playoff run, allowing just six catches on 19 targets over three games and hauling in two interceptions, including one against the Los Angeles Rams that all but secured his first Super Bowl victory.
“Gilmore has great position, goes up, tucks it, two hands, seals it,” Rams receiver Robert Woods said. “That (ended) our Super Bowl hopes of winning.”
Gilmore made a bid for Super Bowl MVP honors in that game, finishing with five tackles, one interception, three pass breakups and a forced fumble.
This year’s Top 100 included seven cornerbacks in all: Gilmore, Jacksonville’s Jalen Ramsey (No. 27), Arizona’s Patrick Peterson (No. 46), Miami’s Xavien Howard (No. 55), Detroit’s Darius Slay (No. 86) Chicago’s Kyle Fuller (No. 95) and Dallas’ Byron Jones (No. 97). Gilmore was the third Patriots player to appear on the list following wide receiver Julian Edelman at No. 90 and safety Devin McCourty at No. 89.
The final 20 players — a group that is sure to include Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was No. 1 in 2018 — will be revealed Tuesday and Wednesday night on NFL Network.
